Giant leap for RAF as it races to put weapons into space

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 18:15 EDT, 16 September 2026 | Updated: 18:21 EDT, 16 September 2026 The Royal Air Force is to deploy to the final frontier as the race for military control of space intensifies.RAF chiefs expect to send weapons into the galaxy for the first time as part of a £7.8billion giant leap for UK defence.They have set a target of 2035 for Britain to join the battle for space, merging defence and civil strategies for the first time.The technologies include jamming devices and lasers designed specifically for the gravity-free atmosphere.It comes as the United States has admitted that it has already deployed weapons outside the Earth's atmosphere to combat Russia and China.Which of the world's superpowers controls space is likely to determine the outcome of future global conflicts – due to the importance of the civilian satellite infrastructure there.In the case of the UK, global space and satellite services support 18 per cent of this country's GDP, including the City of London.Worldwide, the space economy is estimated to be worth approaching £500billion.The UK's Space Strategy describes space as increasingly a 'domain of competition' where Britain's adversaries are seeking to 'disrupt, degrade and deny' use of those satellites and other space-based services.The Ministry of Defence is determined to develop space weapons and to transform this country into a 'competitive space power'. The Royal Air Force is to deploy to the final frontier as the race for military control of space intensifies (stock image)'From communications to retail to banking, space is vital to our security and prosperity,' said the MoD. 'We're working with allies to counter growing threats in an increasingly important environment.'The UK is following the US, which has space-based jammers and methods of electronic warfare for conflict in the galaxy. 'In a veiled warning to Russia and China, the US said it is positioning military hardware there to guard against 'hostile adversary action'.It also emerged yesterday how Russia has used its spy satellites to help Iran in its conflict with the United States.US analysis found 14 Russian spacecraft passed over the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia before the facility was targeted by Iran, resulting in 12 US casualties. Sequencing gave Iran access to locations of US military hardware and troops.